


Potential Happy Endings for Tiger & Bunny

by wickedorin



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-16
Updated: 2011-09-16
Packaged: 2017-10-28 14:29:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/308846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedorin/pseuds/wickedorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While I was waiting for the final episode, I had a little fun writing the possible endings that were in my head.  Many spoilers, but not really for the final episode.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The "Happy Married Couple" Ending

"It's not a big deal, Dad." She insisted, cupping her hands beneath the faucet before splashing her face with water, washing off a good deal of the ashes from her skin.

"Kaede, your mother would _kill_ me, do you realize that?" Kotetsu was clearly trying to keep his voice from panicked-level volume. "Rushing into a burning building at your age--"

" _You_ did it."

"I did a lot of things I'm not suppose to admit to my daughter." He mumbled, getting a laugh. Sighing, he confessed, "Well, what's done is done. The important thing is, you saved someone and didn't get hurt."

"I was _careful_ , Dad, I swear." Kaede insisted, reaching for the towel as she turned the water off. "I touched Dustin's hand first to make sure I had super-speed. The building only started collapsing after I got..." She trailed off when she saw her father's hand practically stuffed into his mouth in worry. "I was careful, Dad." She repeated.

Kotetsu just had to breathe for a moment. In and out. And again. And a few more times. "Sweetie." He started slowly, mostly calmly. "Until you graduate, please try to get an official Hero involved before running in yourself."

"There wasn't time, Dad." She insisted in a voice that couldn't be argued with. "Someone said there was an old lady still trapped in there, and... I just _acted_."

He looked at her, not entirely willing to admit to the pride welling up in his chest. "Alright, alright, just... stay careful." He dropped the conversation much to his daughter's delight, patting her on the head while being fully aware that she always made a little sound of annoyance when he did. "Your mother would _still_ kill me for letting you enroll so early."

"Oh, she would not." Kaede lightly batted his hand away. "She would be glad that you're enabling me to take responsibility for my powers."

Kotetsu made a grotesque sound as he drew his finger along his throat. Just as he was laughing at his daughter's horrified expression (despite the fact that she was giggling), there was a knock at the door. "There, see that? She came back to get me."

It was in horrible taste; but she was still giggling. "I really don't think that's Mom."

"Then you do not remember the lengths your mother would go to in order to give me a piece of her mind." He pointed out, words saturated in only fondness. "She's going to yell."

"Mom never yelled at you." Kaede insisted, pushing her father out of the bathroom and following.

"That's right, we used to call them _discussions_ when you were younger." He teased, resisting a second push. "And I'm not about to have another one; _you_ answer the door! She always did like you better. I'm going to hide in the kitchen."

Kaede rolled her eyes and sighed as her father darted off like someone half his age. Finally opening the door, at least she had sense enough to take some of the grocery bags.

"Thank you. Where's your father?" Barnaby asked, not used to the man's absence in the wake of more rice and vegetables coming in.

"In the kitchen being dumb." Kaede didn't mince words.

While Barnaby gave a snort, there was a distinct "Hey!" from the kitchen. The blond man just shook his head. "Must be retirement."

"Must be." The girl agreed with a little grin.

As the other two entered the kitchen, Kotetsu was already at the sink and ready to wash the vegetables. "Why don't you tell Barnaby what you were doing this afternoon, Kaede."

"Uh-oh." The blond stage whispered.

Kaede cleared her throat, straightened her back and admitted, "I saved an old woman from a burning building."

Instantly, a grin spread over Barnaby's face. "You're just like your father."

"See, Dad?"

Kotetsu sighed. "That's not really the way you ought to handle this, Bunny..."

Ah, right. That "parenting thing" was still pretty new to him. Clearing his throat, he changed tactics. "Were you smart about it, Kaede?"

"Yes, Barnaby." She answered, fingers lacing together behind her back. "I made sure my power was super-speed and I was careful."

Of course, Kotetsu tapping his foot could only mean that there were more expectations. The blond nodded. "Alright, but next time-"

"Try and wait for an official hero, I know." Kaede finished. "I'm going to do my homework now."

The older man just let her go with a sigh. Once she was in her room, he turned to Barnaby. "It's really _not_ a safe practice, you know."

Sliding an arm around Kotetsu, he admitted quietly, "I know. But she _is_ smart about things like this..." He leaned in. "And it's nothing you wouldn't have done, yourself."

"That argument is _off limits_." The older man responded, pulling away--but the smile on his face betrayed him. "Just unload the groceries, hm?"

"Isn't that glorified robot maid supposed to help with this?" Barnaby huffed. Not that he _minded_ putting things away...

Taking the carrots from the blond's grasp, he managed a nonchalant, "Are you bad-mouthing the kitty again?"

Barnaby sighed. "For the last time, Kotetsu, that _monstrous_ machine is _not_ a cat."

And speak of the android; it entered the kitchen with a pre-programed smile and a bow before it began to take over for Barnaby. The eggs were handled carefully, the rest of the vegetables were placed by the sink, and the spices were automatically sorted into the cabinet in alphabetical order. In short, it was perfect.

"It's not monstrous anymore, either." The older man reached out to pat the android on the head. "Not with your programming."

The memories were still a little too fresh for Barnaby's liking... but he did have to admit that the android was a help around the house. "Which you keep _complicating_ by teaching it ridiculous things..."

"You're just jealous because I could teach him how to purr. Isn't that right, Blackie?"

"Meow." Answered the android.

The blond shook his head. "So are Antonio and Nathan coming for dinner this weekend?"

They're planning to." Kotetsu confirmed, running the water. "I think Keith and Ivan were planning to come too. Pao-Lin's busy climbing the ranks, but I get the feeling she'll make time." He smiled at that idea... then frowned a little. "Karina won't answer her phone."

Barnaby tried not to smirk. "I'm sure she can be convinced. It'll be nice to see everyone."

"It's only been a couple of months." The older man responded, but didn't argue. It seemed like _ages_ since he'd worked with them all, and a good deal of them had retired shortly after he had for various reasons. Not living day in and day out while expecting a call to action at any moment was... different. Slow and strange, but it was so _good_ to be with his daughter. To learn who she was... and to explore who Barnaby was, as well. Even the blond himself was still figuring that part out. "How was work, by the way?"

"When most of the decisions are left up to Agnes, everything goes smoothly." The blond laughed a bit, handing Kotetsu the towel he'd been blindly reaching for and missing. "But I prefer it that way. She and Dr. Saitou fight about most of the practical details, and I just sign the papers."

"It's a good life." Kotetsu commented, glancing over and pretending not to be watching for a reaction.

"It's a very good life." Barnaby smiled, reaching out to muss his partner's hair, snorting at the whine he got from it. "I'll cook the rice tonight, okay?"

"Knock yourself out." The agreement was easy enough. "You might even get it right this time."

Kotetsu had been prepared to dodge. He _hadn't_ expected Barnaby to lunge for the sprayer on the kitchen sink and turn the water all the way to cold.

It was the resulting _squeal_ that got Kaede to peek her head out of her room and yell down the hall, "Are you two acting like children again?"

"Yes." Barnaby responded, apparently with no plans to _stop_ spraying the older man anytime soon.

"No!" Kotetsu yelled back at the same time. "We're having a discussion, sweetie!"

Kaede made a disgusted sound, then closed and locked her door. She knew better than to come out until dinner was actually ready (though she would let Blackie in when he clawed at the door since all he did was curl up on her bed like an enormous and slightly creepy human-looking cat). It only took one time walking in on her dad and her favorite hero "having a discussion" naked on the kitchen floor to know that it meant something completely different for the two of them.


	2. The Dramatic Moment Ending

"You really think _he'll_ protect you?" Maverick spat. "Fine. Go on, _Wild Tiger_. Prove your _devotion_ to your partner."

Kotetsu would have gulped if he didn't feel a very real hatred for that man. For what he'd done to Barnaby; what he was doing even now. He had no idea what the blond had been through after they'd been separated, but he'd clearly used up his power and a hell of a lot more to just sit there, panting, _crumbled_ to the floor as if his legs could no longer hold him. It was enough to make the older hero snarl like his namesake. "I _will_. Then I'll come back for him. And for _you_."

Maverick gave a flippant dismissive gesture. "It's right in there, then. Defeat _that_ , and all your troubles are over. Barnaby belongs to whoever makes it out that door."

Eyes narrowing, Kotetsu wanted to argue that Barnaby belonged to _himself_ , thank you very much--but instead simply pulled his hat down more securely on his head. "See you in a minute, then, Bunny."

  
***----------------------***   


  
He hadn't known what to expect, of course. If he'd thought too much about that, it would have made him nervous; particularly because he'd been forced to use his own powers just to help his fellow heroes. Still, it was better to go in blazing and confident, letting the door close behind him with a slam. When Kotetsu started looking around the dimly-lit room, however... it didn't seem like there was anything there. Some blue tubes of some sort, machinery, but nothing else.

Until two very distinct red glows seemed to come into existence just a few meters away. Kotetsu blinked, leaning in and narrowing his eyes to try and make out what it might be--but then the glows moved toward him, into the dim light. And that wasn't all.

It was... it was _him_. But not him at all. It _looked_ like him, save the red shirt instead of green, red and black hat, black vest, red and black shoes... What the hell was going on?

"Ah. So _you're_ the real one." A rough, mechanical voice taunted. "I'm taking over. Let's do this." Instead of taking a step forward, the android simply leaped into the air.

That was all it took to convince him that it didn't _matter_ what the hell was going on. _Shame we can't do this together, Bunny._ He thought, crouching, absolutely aware that it was going to take everything he had and then some.

  
***----------------------***   


  
"I hope you're aware that he's not coming back." Maverick taunted calmly.

"Shut up." Barnaby responded simply, still terrifyingly drained of all energy from having fought the android earlier. It would have _killed_ him had Maverick not decided it would be more "fun" to see it fight the real Wild Tiger... _bastard_.

" _You_ couldn't scratch it." He continued. "Do you really believe in him? Do you really think there's a chance for either of you to make it out of here alive?"

" _I said **shut up!**_ " His limbs felt like lead weights, he was still having trouble breathing--but the _gall_ of that _bastard_ brought out all of his rage. How much one man had been responsible for _taking away forever_...

Maverick only smirked, watching the door. He'd been waiting for a long time already; a few more minutes wouldn't unseat his patience.

Barnaby winced hard when he heard something _slamming_ into that metal wall.

  
***----------------------***   


  
"Ow." Kotetsu commented to himself even as he was pushing off of that wall, limping and wheezing a little as he ran wildly to avoid a _beam_ of some kind coming from a gun that might have been bigger than his arm. How the hell was that supposed to be _justice_?

"You're faster than you should be, for a human!" The android taunted with a laugh that was both unnervingly familiar and nightmarishly _wrong_. The way it grinned with _his face_ was just... demonic.

"And you're not fighting fair!" Kotetsu accused, ducking behind a few of those blue tubes... which turned out to be a bad idea when a minor explosion threw him forward. Well, so much for his favorite vest.

The android grinning above him with the pistol pointed straight at his head certainly distracted him from the singed vest. "Looks like I get to be the new Wild Tiger. I hope that thought comforts you as much as it'll comfort your daughter... or is she mine now? I was only promised Barnaby, but I think I could make use of your family, too."

That cut straight to the center of his exceptionally rare rage. It flared in its chest, burned hot through his limbs; but the way the android pulled that hat over its eyes somehow reminded him that what he _really_ needed right then was to focus. _Think, Kotetsu, think dammit..._

"Wassa matter? No famous last words? Advice for your understudy?" The android taunted, grin and voice getting sharper and more mechanical all the time. "Shame to waste your death in silence. After all, a person reveals the most about themselves right before they die, don't they?"

That laugh. Kotetsu couldn't _stand_ that laugh; it was like his but mocking, vicious, with some... bad pop music filter on it or something. "And you're just some programmed bucket of bolts. Get your kicks by following orders to terrorize an old man, huh?"

It snorted, balancing the gun on its shoulder. "Please. You're no less programmed. I have every piece of footage ever recorded of you, every interview, every off-the-cuff comment. Mr. Legend programmed _you_ years ago. I'm the new model. At least I _know_ I'm programmed. And better for it."

"Oh yeah? Well... well, _divide by zero_!" In all of his long life, many stupid things had been said. Many people had pointed that out to him, after all. The moment that particular phrase left his mouth, however, he realized that was probably the worst of them.

Except for that whole thing where the android dropped the gun, grasped its head and shrieked, " _Fuck!_ " Collapsing to its knees, forehead nearly low enough to touch the floor, it shouted, "Don't _do_ that! Do you have _any idea_ how much that _hurts_?!"

"Well... no, not really." Kotetsu admitted--then rushed the android.

  
***----------------------***   


  
Barnaby's eyes went wide when he heard something else slammed into that metal wall, a clear _dent_ left behind that went all the way through each layer. His hands clenched with another thud--and something that sounded like... sliding. That shrill bouncing squeak sound of wet skin against metal--

Wet skin. Wet with... it could only _be_ one thing...

Another, louder thump just got him to close his eyes and lower his head. To hear the sound _repeated_ several times made him squeeze his eyes shut tightly with a pathetic sound, but it wasn't until he heard the pistol fire again, followed by silence, that he finally started tearing up.

No. _No_ , dammit; Kotetsu wouldn't lose that quickly. He was... resourceful, despite his occasional _idiocy_. The silence may mean nothing. May mean the man was just tired, just resting. It would have been... well-deserved, after all...

Then _something_ finally emerged from that door. What Barnaby looked up at, saw moving closer, was a _red_ shirt, a _red_ and black hat pulled over a man's eyes, before his vision swam with moisture. _Kotetsu. No..._

Maverick _laughed_ , the bastard. Venomous, slimy... it suited him. "Good work, H-01. You go ahead and finish up here. Then come see me."

The android nodded mechanically, then grinned as its eyeless gaze turned back to Barnaby. With only a moment's hesitation, it began to walk closer.

That drew a flinch from the blond, half-tempted to call out to Maverick just to keep him in the room a little longer before he was completely out of sight... but Kotetsu hadn't shown fear. The blond was too damn angry, tearful and _determined_ to put up as much of a fight as he could.

Which didn't seem to be _much_ , as the android knelt before him to be more or less at eye level. Eyes... he would never again get to see Kotetsu's eyes, the way certain light just seemed to make them shine...

"I look pretty cool, don't I?"

It took a second. Another second to blink, to breathe, to open his eyes... "Ko-... Kotetsu?"

Lifting up the hat, undeniably familiar honey-brown eyes gazed back. "You didn't _doubt_ me, did you Bunny?"

"No." Barnaby wiped at his eyes with an unsteady hand. "No, never."

Chuckling softly, Kotetsu reached out to muss the blond's hair--then pulled him in for a hug right after. He wished it could be longer, but given the circumstances... "Let's get out of here before they find out." That time, _he_ was going to carry Barnaby. Even if he was pretty sure Hundred Power did little for back pain.


	3. The Sickeningly Sweet Ending

Some mornings, he just naturally woke up before the alarm. It was sort of nice that way, taking the time to relax and indulge in turning over and watching his partner sleep. Of course, Barnaby wasn't all that used to seeing _tears_ on the brunet's face. The sight wasn't unheard of, exactly, but it was enough to get him fully awake rather quickly, debating about whether or not he should reach out and try to wake the man up.

It seemed that was the moment when Kotetsu started to wake on his own, turning and making a soft sound that caused a bit of tension in the blond's chest. It was a moment later when he reached up to lazily rub his eyes, wiping the tears away in the process.

"You were dreaming of her again." It wasn't _accusing_ , but Barnaby had been witness to that sort of thing a few times. When Kotetsu was still sleepy, he'd mumble about the dream, about the feeling of her slipping away again...

"Yeah." He quietly chuckled at the accusation, finishing wiping the moisture from his eyes.

"A bad dream?" The blond pushed gently, concerned.

"No, good. Very good. I just... realized it was a dream." Kotetsu admitted, the smile growing sad for a moment before it balanced out again. "It's alright, I promise."

Barnaby was never really sure. Yes, the older man had managed to open up to him about many things, but his dead wife felt just a little beyond his limits for whatever reason. The blond would have easily admitted that it could have been his own fault.

For a long time there was still, warm silence, Kotetsu staring at his hand after he'd pulled it away from his eyes. That ring... he never had taken that ring off. "Do you hate me for it?"

There was only a blink in response for several seconds, having no idea where that had come from. "Kotetsu..?"

"For not... giving this up." The brunet indicated his wedding ring with his thumb. "For not moving on with you."

Barnaby swallowed thickly, and thought for a long time. First thing was first; taking the older man's hand, he held it against his chest. "Of course I don't hate you. I don't see how I _could_."

Despite Kotetsu's honest smile, there was something sad and _tired_ in his eyes. "Well, it... seemed important to ask."

Stroking over the other man's hand, Barnaby gave the matter a little more thought before speaking. Really, in its purest form, it seemed so simple. "You don't stop loving someone just because they die. And just because you love someone very much doesn't mean you can't love anyone else." It hadn't been the first time he'd thought about the matter, after all.

Kotetsu's expression was almost flat for a moment before the smile became much warmer. "That's very... mature of you, Bunny." He half-teased.

The blond elbowed him in the side lightly. "I guess I've learned a few things from you, old man."

With a snort, he ignored the chance laid out before him to change the subject. "You want to know what I was dreaming about?" The almost grim nod in response got him to laugh softly. "Tomoe was giving her approval. Of us. You and me." He wiped his eyes again with another short laugh. "She said life's too short to be lonely... and I need someone who'll keep me in line."

Barnaby felt a sting in his own eyes, a slight tightness in his chest. It was just a dream, sure, but... "O-... Okay, then."

"Hm?" Kotetsu had no idea what was meant by that.

"She wants me to take care of you from now on, right? I can do that." Barnaby nodded once, confident. "So don't take that ring off. It's a reminder to both of us."

He couldn't speak. Not that it mattered, really, not when he could just wrap his arms around Barnaby in silence for a full minute before attempting. "See that? You're always gonna be smarter than this old man."


	4. The Righteous Revenge Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is where my headcanon stated that Wild Tiger was more like his namesake than people seemed to assume.

The first indication that Maverick had of something being wrong was Kotetsu entering his office unannounced. The second was that the veteran hero kept his hat on. When the man locked the door behind him, something was growing increasingly wrong. "Can I help you, Mr. Kaburagi?"

"I think you can, yeah." He turned and began to walk to the desk with a smile--but there was something unnerving about it. He had just over three minutes. Yeah, that was enough. The instant Maverick reached for his phone, Kotetsu's body illuminated in blue. Maverick had just enough time to try and flip his phone open before his hand was pinned to the desk, one of his own pens going through flesh, bone, the phone itself, and wood. The _shriek_ that came from the man's mouth was almost satisfying.

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Him." Kotetsu snarled, ignoring the way the blood was making his stomach twist. It was nothing like it had been last night, though. Nothing at all.

"What the _hell_ \--" Maverick started--giving a sharp cry when the pen was wrenched to the side, but his hand remained pinned.

"You never thought anyone else would touch him like that, did you? That he would _want_ anyone in the world to touch him like that..." He almost _growled_ at the look of understanding in Maverick's eyes.

There wasn't _fear_ , though. Pain, sure, but not _concern_. "What do you _think_ I've done, Mr. Kaburagi?" He actually asked particularly calmly, seeing as how he was trying to dislodge the pen.

Kotetsu did not mince words, nor did he hide the _hatred_ in his voice. He didn't think he'd ever truly _hated_ anyone in his entire life before. "I think you've been molesting and _raping_ Barnaby for years, Mr. Maverick. And I think you've used your powers to 'help him forget.'"

So there it was. It seemed that no matter how many times he'd destroyed and rebuilt Barnaby's memories, something had triggered them into flooding back. "You have no evidence of that."

The hand that slammed down on the desk right next to Maverick's own nearly went straight through the lacquered wood. As it was, it left a splintered imprint several inches deep. Kotetsu's voice was even, but thick and dark with emotion. "I had to hold him last night, Mr. Maverick. Hold him while he remembered every last thing you've ever done to him. He threw up twice." Dry-heaved off and on the rest of the night between bouts of sobbing. _Clung_ to Kotetsu, begging him not to go anywhere despite all of his assurances. He could not _help_ but remember the cracked and broken qualities of Barnaby's voice as he said things that were just sickening, _horrifying_ \--then felt compelled to swear that it wasn't his idea. Felt the _need_ to _say_ that it wasn't his fault, that he didn't want it. As if the younger man had needed to say that in the first place. As if years of abuse should make him feel like he needed to make such assurances. "So tell me, again. _What did you do to him_?"

There was no evidence. There _couldn't_ have been any. There was only a hero's testimony, and his... well, _lover_ , apparently. His lip curled, but he remained unmoved. "I did nothing, Mr. Kaburagi."

"Fine." He should have felt so sick and guilty about how easy it was to snap one of the man's pinned fingers like a twig, the sound of the bone breaking and Maverick's pained scream both blood-curdling and _good_. The way Bunny had been crying, _begging_ Kotetsu to tell him what was going on, why suddenly there were memories that he'd never had before, certainly didn't want... no, he couldn't afford anything like sympathy. "Try again. Mr. Maverick?"

"You're _insane_." The man accused painfully.

Kotetsu pulled back and sighed, clearly getting nowhere. A confession would have been preferred, but if that wasn't possible... "I don't know why you set out to ruin his life, but I'm going to give him a new one." He put his hands on his hips, confident. "The life he _deserves_.

"You won't be giving him _anything_ from jail." Maverick's true colors certainly showed with the way his eyes narrowed, the words an obvious threat.

Alright, then. If that was the way it had to be. "Oh. I'm not here right now." He smiled victoriously. "Kotetsu T. Kaburagi is at his favorite busy bakery right now, chatting up the women who work there, like he always does." Ivan had agreed to help immediately. Just like Antonio had volunteered to "get rid of" the security. Keith had instantly suggested leading the choppers and blimps on a bit of a wild goose chase, which had surprised everyone (but they agreed, of course). Nathan and Karina effortlessly agreed to distract the people who were innocent of what Mr. Maverick was doing while Antonio had been busy more or less literally barreling through the rest. Pao-Lin was to stay at Barnaby's side for the day, telling only the truth; Kotetsu had some work to take care of, and then he was free to be with Barnaby for as long as he liked. As Heroes, they might have competitive natures with one another, but they were a _family_.

Maverick _laughed_ , though that hint of pain was still clear. "You're just as filthy as you think I am."

Well... that was an interesting accusation. It got Kotetsu to frown for a moment, sliding his hands into his pockets. "You know, sir... I used to think all life was worth saving. Worth protecting."

"You won't kill me." Maverick scoffed.

"No, I won't." Kotetsu turned, adjusting his hat. He sauntered to the door, opening it wide before saying, simply, "He's all yours."

That made no _sense_. None in the least, until--that unmistakable mask.

"You do seem familiar with fire, Mr. Maverick." Lunatic raised his crossbow, alight with blue and green flames. "But not yet the flames of Thantos."


	5. The Really Fucking Weird Ending

The not-Wild Tiger, the _empty suit_ that was too close to Saitou's design for comfort, carried the broken body in his arms. Not that it had gotten off without a few injuries, with one shoulder sparking and a leg clearly half-gone and barely enough to carry weight on. Barnaby was the only one on the ground with him, having leaped from the catwalk above--where the other heroes still waited, shocked and helpless.

Kotetsu felt pretty damn helpless, too, draped in the black suit's arms. Most of his own suit had disintegrated from the fight, from that blast of energy. He was dying. Worse, he _knew_ he was dying. Fading away in a sleepy haze...

"Get the _fuck_ away from him." Barnaby's yell certainly snapped him back to a wakeful state.

"No. No, wait." Kotetsu begged softly as he was laid carefully on the floor, something thick and coppery in his throat that he tried to swallow down. "It's okay. It's... part of me. Based on me, it... we came to an understanding." _At the end_ were words he didn't care to speak. Especially not with the way Barnaby _looked_ at him, expression as pained as his own body had felt moments ago. Pain was... really nothing then, though. Part of him reasoned it was probably due to a spinal injury.

"You _can't_." The blond insisted, falling to his knees. "You just... _can't_..."

"Dad!" Came joyfully from one side of the catwalk--then Kaede was caught by Antonio's arms, trying to turn her away, to take her back; but it was too late. She'd looked down, seen... Hands over her mouth, the word sounded very different the second time. "Dad..."

To hear his daughter's pain, to see his partner's anguish, all of his friends far above looking lost and sad and _hopeless_... Kotetsu's gaze weakly turned to the black suit. "Do... do whatever you have to do, just... please..."

"What are you talking about?" Barnaby demanded. "Do _what_?"

"I'm not going to leave you and Kaede alone!" Kotetsu shouted--regretting it right after, coughing up what he couldn't deny was blood. Feeling no pain. "No matter what it takes, I'm not... I can't. I need, just... please..."

The suit nodded, a grating mechanical voice following. "I understand." Turning its head to "look" at Barnaby, it stated simply. "Turn away."

It was rage at being ordered by _that thing_ which kept the blond from obeying; but he all too soon understood. The suit opened up its chest, a writhing mass of wires spilling out... and sliding toward Kotetsu. Barnaby _wanted_ to scream at it to _stop_ , but the older man's eyes had already gone wide and sightless as perhaps hundreds of thread-thin wires sank into his flesh. Worse was when the thicker wires began to work their way under the skin, others moving toward his face and ears and eyes--

Barnaby looked away then. Antonio had covered Kaede's eyes, his own tightly closed like the rest of the heroes. There were _sounds_ , unnatural biological _noises_ that he simply could not look over to gather details about. And then, finally, the hiss and clicking locks of the suit's chest moving back into place.

Then silence. A terrible, motionless silence. Seconds, minutes, hours; the blond didn't know when he'd finally gotten brave or irritated enough to look over and see... blood. Only blood, and a sparking, kneeling suit. He felt sick. "Ko..?" He rasped, unable to finish a single word.

More silence. Then, slowly, "It's not quite like I pictured." The voice remained mechanical, digitized, but... there was _liveliness_ to it, somehow.

Barnaby swallowed, felt his hands tremble. Much like his voice did. "What's not like what you pictured, Kotetsu?"

"Ah, _this_." The suit gestured exactly like Wild Tiger would have, flailing slightly to indicate _everything_. "Too much information being thrown at me. How am I supposed to read all this at once? And apparently I gotta go get fixed up. What a pain."

He willed himself to laugh, he really did. "It's... it's something to get used to."

"Yeah." Reaching with jerky movements due to the injured shoulder, Kotetsu rubbed the back of his newly helmeted head. "Sorry about that."

Barnaby really _did_ laugh that time, short and quiet as it was. "I'm sure everything will be just fine."


End file.
